Mail pouch



Nd Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J

F. D. WARD.

MAIL POUCH.

No. 497,257. Patented May 9, 1893.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model) F. D. WARD.

MAIL P-OUGH.

PatentedMay 9, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK D. WARD, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TIlREE-FOURTHS TO LUTHER WELCH, JOSEPH H. FINK, AND WILLIAM WVARNER, OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-POUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,257, dated May 9, 1893..

Application filed August 1, 1892. Serial No. 441,785- (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FRANK D. WARD, ot' Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Pouches, the, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part a hereof.

My invention relates to pouches, bags, or

sacks which are designed to receive letters,

papers, and other classes or kinds of mail matter, and also to bags, pouches or sacks for various other analogous purposes.

The objects of my invention are to produce I 5 a pouch which shall be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, and the opening end or mouth of which shall be of such form and construction as to be readily opened and closed, and also capable of securely closing the pouch against the entrance of moisture, dirt, or any other foreign substances injurious to the contents of the pouch.

Furthermore, to produce a pouch the mouth of which shall, when closed, prevent all possi- 2 5 bility of surreptitious access to the interior of the pouch.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a locking mechanism for mailpouches which shall be simple, strong, durao ble and inexpensive in construction, and capable of easy and rapid manipulation by authorized persons, for opening and locking the mouth of the bag, but which shall effectually prevent unauthorized persons from tamper- 3 5 ing with the contents ofthe pouch.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a tag-holder which shall be peculiarly adapted for application to pouches of this particular type, and which shall securely retain the tags in proper position for inspection, and at the same time permit the tags to be readily detached and changed, as required.

To the above purposes, my invention con sists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully un derstood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is afront side elevation of the upper part of a mail-pouch embodying my invention; the mouth of the pouch being closed and locked. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper part of the pouch and showing the back of the pouch and the tag-holder which is applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper end of the pouch; the mouth of the pouch being in open condition. Fig. 4. is an upper end or plan view of the pouch; the mouth of the pouch being partly opened. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the pouch; one side of the mouth of the pouch being closed and the other side partly opened. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same viewed toward one edge of the upper part of the pouch. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section of the pouch, on the line 7--7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the pouch, on the line 88 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detached perspec- 7o tive view of the pivotal locking-bar of the pouch. Fig. 10, is a horizontal sectional view of the tag holder, detached from the pouch.

In the said drawings, 1 designates the bodyportion of the pouch, bag, or sack, this bodyportion being of the usual flat elongated rectangular form, and of any suitable or preferred width, as circumstances may render desirable. r The bottom of the bag or pouch is not shown, because it may be of the usual or any preferred type ofbonstruction. The body-portion of the bagis composed of two pieces or sections each of rectangular form and of corresponding length and breadth; these two sections beingsecured together at their side edges by two lines of rivets 2 which pass through the overlapping side margins of the two sections. The upper-ends of these body-sections are cut away triangularly, so as to leave two triangular flaps or extensions at the sides of 0 the upper end of each body section; there be ing thus four of these extensions or flaps 3 located in two pairs, one pair of which is located at each of the two sides of the end of each triangular flap may be in a separate piece riveted to the body-portion of the pouch. The inner margins of these triangular flaps extend upwardly and outwardly, when the mouth of the pouch is opened; and the outer margins of each pair of said triangular extensions are secured together by a line of rivets 2 which line is a prolongation of the corresponding line of rivets 2. A triangular flap 4 is preferably formed by cutting out the two triangular flaps 3 of each body-portion of the pouch and is preferably not quite severed at its tip or apex from the body-portion of the pouch, and is laid backward upon the inside of said body-portion, so as to reinforce the same, as shown; the lower straight margin of the flap being secured to the body-portion of the pouch by a straight line of rivets 5, while the two convergent side-margins of the flap are secured to said body-portion by two straight lines of rivets 6. This reinforce-piece maybe either of the triangular form shown or of straight elongated form as preferred. It is to be understood that the two inner margins of each pair of flaps or extensions 3 are entirely separate from each other, so as to permit the flaps or extensions to be moved inward toward each other for closing the mouth of the pouch, ashereinafter described. Each flap or extension 3 is provided with a crease 7, which is produced either by usage or by suitable mechanism, and which extends from the point of union of the outer margin of the flap or extension 3to-a .point midway of the length of the inner divergent margin of the flap, as shown. These creases cause the flaps to fold outward when the mouth of the pouch is being closed, so that each flap or extension 3 shall lie in two folds at the corresponding outer side of the body-portion of the pouch. Adjacent to the inner or divergent margin of each flap or extension 3 are riveted two short rectangular pla'tesS each of which is formed with a longitudinally extending. slot, these plates lying upon the outer side of the flap or extension. One of these plates islocated near the inner end of the divergent margin of the flap, and the other plate 8 is located a slight distance from the first plate, and nearer the outer end of the divergent margin. 9 designates athird plate whichis of oblong rectangularform and which isof greater length than the plates 8; this plate 9 being formed with two longitudinal stots, and being riveted to the outer end of the divergent margin of the flap. One of these plates 9 is secured to each of the flaps or extensions 3, excepting one of said flaps or extensions. This remaining flap or extension is provided instead of the plate 9, with an oblong rectangular plate 10 which is riveted upon the outer side of the flap adjacent to the divergent margin thereof, and near the outer end of said margin. This plate 10 carries two staples 11 and 12, the former of which is shown as of much less length than the latter, but which may be of equal length if preferred; said staples projecting inwardly from the flap. It will thus be seen from the above description, that when the mouth of the pouch is to be closed, the two flaps 3 which are located at the left hand side of the mouth of the bag, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, (or in other words, the flaps which do not carry the plate 10,) are bent outward along their creases 7, so as to lie each in two folds at opposite outer sides of the bodyportion of the pouch; the same at the outer margins of these two flaps then lying nearly horizontally over the mouth of the pouch, and thus closing this half of said mouth. The two opposite flaps 3 are now similarly bent along their creases 7, so as to also each lie in two folds against the corresponding side of the body-portion of the pouch; the seam at the outer margins of these two flaps likewise lying nearly horizontally over this half of the mouth of the pouch and securely closingsaid portion of the month. When the mouth of the pouch is to be opened, the last-named flaps are simply raised into open position, and then the first-named flaps are likewise raised; both the closing and opening movements being capable of being effected withthe utmost ease and rapidity.

l/Vhen the mouth of the pouch is closed, as

above described, the inner divergent margins of the two flaps at the right hand side of the mouth overlie the corresponding margins of the flaps at the left hand side of the mouth of the pouch, and said overlapping or overlying margins extend vertically at opposite sides of the body-portion of the pouch.

13 designates an oblong rectangular plate which is riveted to the front side of the body of the pouch, and which is formed with two longitudinal slots, as shown; this plate extending downward from the point of union of the two inner ends of the oblique margins of the flaps with the body-portion of the pouch, and said plate also lying upon the corresponding reinforce-piece 4. When the mouth of the pouch is closed, the two staples 11 and 12, above described, extend through the slots inthe plates 8 and 9, and also through the slots in the plate 13, and project outwardly at the front side of the pouch.

14 designates a locking-plate which is pivoted, as at 15, upon the outer side of the plate 9. This locking-plate isof approximately Z-form; the bod y-portion of the plate being oblong rectangular in shape, while two tongues or extensions 16 and 17 which are formed integrally with the plate, project laterally at slightly acute angles from the plate, in opposite directions, and at opposite ends of the plate, as shown. The tongue 16 is a simple plain projection, while the tongue 17 is shown as cut out of the end of the plate; thus leaving a skeleton-formed portion 18 which is bent upward at right angles to the tongue 17. It will thus be seen from the above description, that when the locking-plate 14 is moved in one direction, the tongue 16 passes into-the staple 11 and the tongue 17 passes into the staple 12 5 the skeleton -shaped projection 18 coming against one side of the staple 12. The hasp of a suitable padlock 19 is now passed through the skeleton-shaped projection 18,'and also through the staple 12, and thus locks thelocking-plate, so as to securely retain the pouch in closed condition. WVhen it is desired to unlock the pouch, the padlock is first unlocked, and its hasp is drawn out of the staple 12 and the projection 18, and the locking-plate is moved in the opposite direction from that first taken, so as to draw the tongues 16 and 17 out of the staples 11 and 12 and also out of the projection 18. The mouth of the pouch may then be opened in the manner already suggested. It is to be understood that if preferred, a staple may be substituted for the projection 18 this staple being riveted to the end of the locking-plate.

Upon the outer side of the back of the pouch, the plate 10 is provided at each of its longer margins with alongitudinal rib 21 and at its lower end with a transverse rib 23 which extends adjacent to the lower margin of the plate. Top-plates 22 and 22 overlie the ribs 21 and 23 and are secured thereto by rivets 24; said rivets extend through the plate 20 and also through the ribs and top-plates, as shown. 7

From the above description, it will be seen that I have produced a mail-pouch which is simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive in construction, and easy to open and close, and which effectively protects the contents of the pouch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mailbag comprising a body-portion open at its upper end and formed at said upper end with two pairs of triangular extensions or flaps each having an outwardly divergent inner margin; beginning centrally of the upper edge of the bag, and each pair of said flaps or extensions being located at one side of the opening or mouth, substantially as set forth.

2. A mail-pouch comprising a body-portion having an open upper end provided with two sets or pairs of flaps or extensions, each located at one side of the mouth of the bag and each having upwardly and outwardly divergent inner margins, beginning centrally of the upper edge of the bag, and a number of plates having longitudinal slots and secured to said flaps or extensions adjacent to the inner margins thereof, and a pair of staples projecting inwardly from one of the said flaps or extensions near the inner margin thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. A mail-pouch comprising a portion having an open upper end provided with two sets or pairs of flaps or extensions, each located at one side of the mouth of the bag and each having upwardly and outwardly divergent inner margins, a number of plates having lon gitudinal slots and secured to said flaps or ex ted plate secured upon the front of the body portion of the pouch adjacent to the point of union of the divergent flap margins therewith and designed toreceive the staples, substantially as set forth.

4. A mail-pouch comprising a body-portion having an open upper end two pairs of oppositely disposed triangular extensions or flaps each pair of which is located at one side of the mouth of the pouch a plate carrying a pair of staples, and carried by one of said flaps, and a number of plates having slots or apertures through which the staples are adapt ed to engage, and a pair of reinforced pieces formed by the cutting out of the flaps or extensions and folded backward upon the bodyportion of the pouch, and a locking plate pivoted to a plate secured to the body portion of the pouch, and adapted to engage the pro- J jecting ends of the staples, substantially as described.

5. In a mail pouch, comprising a body portion having two oppositely disposed pairs of triangular flaps, each of which is located at one side of the mouth of the pouch, a tag holder secured to the back of the pouch, at a point adjacent to the point of union of the flaps with the body portion of the pouch, and comprising, a base plate, longitudinal side 'ribs, a transverse rib, connecting the longitudinal ribs at their lower ends, and top plates overlapping said ribs and adapted to retain the tag or card in position and a pair of staples projecting from the inner side of said plate, with a plate also carried by the bag and having a pair of slots therethrough, and a locking arm pivotally carried by said slotted plate, and adapted to engage the projecting ends of the staples when passed through said slots, and a lock adapted to engage one of the staples and adjacent lower end of the locking plate, substantially as described.

6. A mail-pouch, comprising a body-portion having an open upper end'or mouth a pair of triangular flaps or extensions located at each side of the mouth of the pouch a pair of staples carried by one of said flaps and extending through openings into the flaps and a locking-plate pivoted upon the body-portion of the pouch adjacent to the flaps; the said locking-plate being of approximately Z-form FRANK D. WVARD.

Witnesses:

HARRIET E. Paton, JNO. L. CONDRON. 

